Resilient wheel



Sept. 4, 1928. 1,682,899

J. H. FLETCHER RESILIENT WHEEL Fil ed Nov. 16 1927 MFA 7'02 Jseph F/efaher' Patented Sept. 4, 1928.

UNITED STATES JOSE-PH I-I. FLETCHER, OF LOS ANGELES, GALIFORNIA..

nnsimnnr WHEEL.

Application filed. November is, 1927. Serial najesaesa.

' This invention relates to the running gear of vehicles and particularly pertains to a resilient wheel forming a part thereof.

In the construction of many vehicles it is 6 desirable to provide some device of resilient nature which will insure that shook delivered to the tires of the running gear will be absorbed, to a desirable degree, before reach ing the frame of the vehicle. Structures de- 5 signed to produce this result have been built in the past and, forthemost part, have embodied the use of resilient tires carried upon the running gearwheels resilient members interposed between the hubs ot the wheels I and the rims, or spring suspension, interposed between the vehicle axles and the frame. It the object of the present 1nvention to provide a wheel structure which possesses inherent resiliency throughout, thus I insuring that the shock delivered to the tire ofthe wheel will be absorbed to a great extent within the wheel structure without being transmitted. to the axle, and from thence through the frame suspension to the body of 5 the vehicle. It is a furtherfobject of this invention to provide a structure of the above character which eliminates the useof a multiplicityotparts liable to break or get outot order. and which wheel structure may be l simply made at a very low manufacturing cost.

The present invention contemplates the formation of a wheel and resilient tire in an integral structure. Said wheel and tire being moulded from rubber, and embodying stiffening means therein which do not impair the resilientaction of thewhoel, and which stiffening means carry bearing sup-- ports for the axle or its bearings.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which; i

. Figure 1 is a fi'agmentaryview in sideele ration, showing oneapplication of the present invention to a caster structure.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section taken centrally of the wheel, as seen on line 22 of Fig. 1, and as disclosing one form of axle bearing and the stiffening member for the wheel.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section through a wheel of largerdiameter than that shown in Fig. 2 and designed for supporting heavier loads, said view showing the means of mounting a roller bearing cage Within. the hub of wheel, and further of this construction may manufactured, both as "to labor and the cost of material and also due to thefactthatthe showing a difi'erent arrangementofthe stiffening plate. V

Fig, 1 is an enlarged fragmentary section as seen on the line otFig. 2, andas showing the stiffening plate imbedded within the web of the wheel. I

Referring morepartlcularly to the drawing, 10, indicates a portion of a structure beneath which a wheel, 11, is disposed. This structure is here indicatedas the post of a bed, or other article of furniture.-lt is, however, to be understoodvvithout further illus tration, that wheels of the character here disclosed maybe used in casters for furniture or the like, hospital equipment, trucks, childrens vehicles, and, in fact, suitably designed wheels of proper dimensions may be adapted to larger vehicles such asautomobiles. In any event, the wheel, 11, comprises a tire section, 12, and a web section, 13,integr-ally moulded. Asshown in Figs. 2 and 3,

the tire maybe of circular cross section having an additional tread portion, 14, around its circumferential edge." The web is preferably solid to torma Wheel of the usual disk wheel type of design. Thisweb has a central thickness substantially equal to the length of abearing bushing, 14, imbedded centrallythereof, while at its outer edge and at the point of juncture with the tire it is relatively narrow in thickness, thus resilienoy is not only obtained due to pressure upon the peripherybfthe tire to distorm the tire mass, but also may be transmitted tothe web where further resiliency with. resultant absorption of shock will i be obtained.

In the construction of this wheel itmay be desirable for certain purposesto mould the wheel from high grade gum rubber, but for all practical and commercial purposes it has been found that the wheels may be satisfactorily made when moulded from scrap rubberwhich has been obtained by reclaiming the rubber ofused autornobile tires, even though the fiber in the mass has not been removed. It will thus be apparent thatwheels be very cheaply wheel may be formed in a mould bya single operation. 1 y a Imbedded withinthe web ofthe wheel and preferably in a transverse plane centrally thereof, is a stiifenin plate, 15. This plate is in the form of a disk, the edges of which, as indicated in Fig. 4:; are previously seal m kles loped, is at 16, so .thgt the disk W111 mt mett t ee m hin he ma s eif r bber. It is also desirable to perforate the disk at points as indicated at 17. 'In this manner the mass of will bemouided directl through the openings, and will tend to bin the entire Webbed structure together. In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3 it will be noted that the disk, 15, is bf leti ly le s r d am t hen t e w and that the marginal portion of the disk t tw p te w thin e ti 2- Thi fi tipn in diameter has been found necessary w ee of relatively large diameter, so t et-the weight imposed upon the w eel wi l not sohieetionably disiorm the eel M h P int Lei wp tnn b t ee g we nd tQ -t Ie-eem ti t e se m e eeem tt edr win t w ll he eee that exle imehmg s ee e ,e t l y .e rmgete pen e p lte ede t ,tpansyerse center thereo These orm,- getion her bees pm eee ef e t e fi ms sla e he een peemened pe h Pehmg' bn mg we n n a t d t9 P es ure, wh ch e de t ep et em e epnes te id 9f h tt n p eefi w ee m tie-b lee en w 1y et pe l enti my m dway b t n the; peeltlell O e1 p te, end eeut nd e the ieehigs e uler e1 0 p e te 4 8; eye i 13 1 1? wh h n to hold e e i py ef e to i e, thet h ax 9 W ulii nt y l flg ee e Th el m y e th y te m .Q w npme o h is e e. Mme be n h etr ef e t readed et it Em e eeq e e m ne .2 hm i pee with et e he the ee g m me,

,le the rm 7 lTi-lg-i 23, hen wa r e es e t n r 1g,,2 1 mess mt th bu t ing l4, and w en" eenhee e s f: eerwg e rs, hwh are t new? at e e Ztend e hel in iet y' wet weeter 2M It Wit b adilyhe eey defined bee e urn w e i t be m i and thet ljgee e the W eel {ms t benmunte m fie relet ee t elit e it e M pmwlelen ppwee we ud be mpeet d the te, since the st ti'en ng plet 15 5 p qre lr keyed t t e-ante est i mbe d-w t m th me e game-w ee, web: i

Int m e ifwtete 9f t e wh l; e st:- egg, 1% 45 i er d t mush en p ng 1n me er i th e ifi em pla e, 15, and

. ear-the eaft r upse rte ee t F E si wvtm e it ellr fieth stifiengn web. t may be found practlcable to elnnwe the ee 'flzstien .ep m ion end to ca e of the invention shown in the opposi te hues ojmthe mouldipg die to strike theen of the dumbingat the conclusion of the moulding operation, and to thus upset the bushing Within the mould. ll iln any event, a, mass of rubber is placed within the mould around the stifiening disk and thereafter subjected to pressure to cause a wheel of the construction here disclosed to beformed. 1

It will thusbe seen that by the construe tion here disclosed it is possible to re idly and econqgnjoel-ly melee resilient wheeg i0; r m te purp e ee t wheel b ng s mb of support ng a cons derable wexght sp d; fifili ngf li g gah ikjol e g major 15W: 01 .0 e 0e Heir-eve, e e, 84 i w l flutte seen t due to e e egml manner n whi h the e web e the er be n eh pedend formed ith r mp 4 to ee l e h lt; e el nd r dia he k s y he lmened t e wheel, and will heal?- sorh d W thin th structure.

While I haye shown the preierred iorrq pi my me ion e new-kn w te m t will: e unde st o t ver eu lmaee my n nude in h b at n ee et i e neud e eee e t pt of i by M13614? rt lt ent eper mg mm he pent 0. th m n e lm e i I.

Haring thusdescrihed my invention, whet I e em end d e re te ew'e by Le ters P ten Jetis A heel ,etmetwe mu em e, hub hqe mg e e emes p et i ma n mg ees ehm ad ea ed ther byi A d p ate b s eepe ele e re e 1 e he Longitudinal center file-bulb w el e met te te med e e et t el eeg me e el e vel le .geead t fie ns P ateau being moulde t ereover.

I a he l etm tw nefle ting comprising a tubular member oircgm enie ly t et t it ele ensi d nellr e l t ew, l ti ne ei said mm t ene set- 1 g oil pe ts an e steel structure moulct d of rubber oompnsmgiip. d sk heeedwhee web d e weeme mbm tlre formed rte r lly lb erew h- In Wl l etw tn nu eele a g et Priemgubule r m i im tially corrugated at mtervals longitudi mfly e te g h, he uqtlnletiee f i getlons tinting gsnlli pfl kelifi, a d a 'whee structure sereprw g e dk ap wheel Wit a d e lreumse ehmg tlr f rmed teg e ly th r with, b th f whieh are me ded frame mass of e b n d me ns g hedd d w thm he s meture for stiflening 8 same.

JOSEPH H. FLETCHER. 

